Flying the LGBTQ Pride flag in Russia is dangerous, but a group of activists smuggled the symbolic
rainbow into the world's biggest stage — the World Cup.
"We tried to, to make as organic as possible, like not to walk around like in position of
the rainbow.
We are like, okay, we like this location.
So let's, let's put ourselves in order.
But it was very in a way that he wouldn't take that much attention from people."
Eloi Pierozan Junior is the man wearing yellow.
Since he's Brazilian, he's wearing the country's football jersey.
There are five other activists from five other countries: red for Spain, orange for Holland,
green for Mexico, blue for Argentina and purple for Colombia.
"We got very surprised because a lot of people from Russia or any other country that were
there in the World Cup, they just came over.
And they wanted to take photos with us, because they found funny that six friends from six
different countries were together.
... They thought it was beautiful so a lot of people came over to take pictures with
us, but nobody realized what we were doing.
No one."
Did no one see that it was a flag?
People didn't realize that it was a rainbow flag.
At least nobody told us.
Eloi and the other activist had to keep the project under wraps.
"You couldn't speak up about what you're doing on streets because there was a lot of guards
around."
To be clear, It's not illegal to be gay in Russia, but homophobia remains strong, and
at times, Russian police have failed to prevent anti-gay harassment or attacks.
FIFA advisers warn gay fans not to display public affection or participate in LGBTQ protests.
So you were kind of taking care of our safety as well.
So if everybody came over and say, oh, what do we do?
And you're like, no, you're just friends.
We are just we're here enjoying this moment of happiness.
The Hidden Flag project was helmed by FELGTB, Spain's largest organization for LGBTQ rights.
They took photos and videos for two and half days, but due to safety concerns, it was only
after the activists came back to their respective countries that the images were shared.
They just wanted to raise this subject about the LGBT community for as much people as possible,
just to make them think are also to make a kind of pressure, but it is not a huge way
to the Russian government.
And also just to spread the message of love for the gay people in Russia, because we know
how they feel without this legislation.
The following video contains disturbing images.
Viewer discretion is advised.
Human Rights Watch has documented a large number of vicious attacks and aggressive harassment
of LGBT, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered people in Russia.
It's happening in the context of the homophobic legislation that bans propaganda of non traditional
homosexual relationships among minors.
Human Rights Watch says Russia's 2013 "gay propaganda law is a "flimsy excuse to discriminate
against LGBT people."
Since its enactment, hate crimes have doubled in Russia.
Last year, Chechnya’s Anti-Gay Purge resulted in dozens of presumed gay men tortured by
security officials.
There was a mention that your boyfriend was worried that you're going to do this, why
did you decide to do it anyway?
For me it's very important even if I know the risks of raising this flag.
This is the kind of thing that is really exciting for me in life when I can do something that
I truly believe.
Seventy-two countries criminalize same-sex relationships.
In eight of those, homosexuality can result in death.
Our first target, we can say it was to help the LGBT community in Russia.
But it's becoming so huge that it's it might help a lot of people around the globe.
We really wanted to spread this message around the globe for people to put themselves in
an LGBT community shoes, because we are we are humans as everybody else.
And you just want to love and be loved.